William "Bill" Bronder

William “Bill” Frank Bronder, 84, of Winnetka, CA, passed peacefully on May 6, 2015 at Northridge Hospital.

Bill was born June 12, 1930, in New York City. He served in the US Merchant Marines and the US Army 82nd Airborne. In the 1960s, Bill moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. He starred in numerous television, stage and movie roles, but is best known for Return to Me (2000) and the classic Stand By Me (1986). He was a proud mem-ber of SAG/AFTRA & Actor’s Equity. Bill met his wife Tona in the early 1960s and they celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. He loved Tona dearly and always credited her with both his success in career and life. In his final display of love for Tona, his last words were “how is my wife?” Upon hearing she was at home asleep, he went to sleep in peace. Bill often spoke of how thrilled he was to spend a week visiting his daughter Colleen & family in Florida, seeing his daughter Joan, his brother Charlie, & sister-in-law Suzanne in New York and taking his brother Charlie to the movies, when they were boys.

It was during his boyhood days in New York that Bill developed a passion for racing pigeons. He raced pigeons for over 50 years and was a member of the FVC San Fernando Valley Pigeon Club. He made lifelong friends with many of the club members. Bill’s other passions were celebrating holidays with family, food and the Washington Red-skins. Bill was preceded in death by his mother, Florence Birdsall; father, William G. Bronder; sister, Gladys “Peggy” Prifte; & grandson, Keith Walker. He is survived by his wife, Tona Dodd Bronder; brother, Charles Sr. (Suzanne); sister, Patricia Albert (Frank); daughter, Colleen Blount (Eddie); daughter, Joan Kownacki (John); stepson, Gary Bergantino (Pam); stepdaughter, Crystal Govea (Ernest); stepdaughter, Rhonda Pimentel (Gary “Peemie”); grand-children, Charles & Christopher Walker, Michael Mitchell, Jerilee Kownacki, Richard “Richie” & Gary Hernandez, Laura Bergantino, Melissa & Jennifer Govea, and 15 great-grandchildren.

Bill’s wonderful sense of humor was unwavering. Even in his last hours he managed to make everyone smile. He kept the nurses laughing by telling them he was “Charlie Chaplin” and in one of his many classic Bill moments, he showed them the “can-can.”

Bill’s beautiful smile and laughter will be greatly missed.

Memorial service: Fri, Jun 26, 11:00 AM, Eternal Valley Memorial Park, 23287 N. Sierra Hwy, Newhall, CA